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Sunday, November 1, 2009

Ignored shoppers.

Electric rides inside, no racks outside.Pole party.

-------Dear Best Buy.You are a huge company with a huge selections of gadgets. Check.You are probably the biggest parking lot (asides price club) around that area of the Mission. CheckI lost the phone charger and no one carries a 4+ year old one but you. Check

I have always noticed the parking lot. It is hard not to.Have never noticed the lack of bicycle racks.What gives? Although carrying a new washing machine would be a bit more challenging than in the back of a shiny SUV, make some effort to appeal to a certain group of us in the city.Seems like you are trying to sell electric bikes - that is cool and all, but don't ignore the ones that already use non-electric means of transportation.

Maybe you have requested the racks from the city.Maybe its in work-in-progress.Maybe the employees have a bike space inside.But even so, put some bike racks, and they will come. Or not. If ultimately, that is your point.

Thanks. -meligrosa-------

What do you all think?! Does having a nice place to park your bicycle influence where you shop, or how often you buy at any give business? Do tell

I can't believe there are no bike racks provided, but so many bikes. The Best Buy in my Chicago neighborhood has racks, but they are city racks on the sidewalk, now that I think of it. I usually avoid any big box places when I can, and am always able to find a city rack somewhere nearby.

Actually that Best Buy does have a bike rack. But it's around the corner by the loading dock--no one uses it because it's invisible to everyone but the drifters who hang out on the streets behind the store.

Lorenza/ Grazie, I will be mailing (a polite note) this week. Will keep you posted.

Dottie/ Im with you. Happens so that I ran out of non-web shopping options in the city. Just seems strange that with such huge parking lot they cant 'sacrifice' 1-2 spaces for our little awesome machines, visible enough (instead of in a back alley way out there)

Alison/ good point. I think that people that dont typically move around on bikes, forget about the fact that racks mean bringing more business. Sunday streets is a great example of the local business boost here in SF. &thanks for stopping by, great to hear from you :D

cyclelicious/ wowza awesome!! thanks for the link, you know I have been to that coffetopia (comes at no surprise, right?!) So nice to see those racks :D

Anonymous/ Indeed. I forgot to mention that above. But (big BUT) parking it at that rack, would be a very open, sad and dark invitation to those scumbagtheives. They live for that opportunity, might as well not use any locks, you know what I mean. &thanks for your comments

Availability of bike racks definitely influences the likelihood of me stopping or not. This is an excellent letter you've crafted, please share any response you receive with us. Great hanging out with you on Friday!! Hope to be making the dia de los muertos ride tomorrow night. xo lisamarie

I had the very same experience at Sam's Club in Flagstaff! I had to lock my bike to a shopping cart rack. Rather humiliating. I guess there is a reason I avoid Sam's Club. Our Target has a very good selection of functional bike racks so stopping by on my bike is always easy.

lisa marie/ yes, indeed. It just makes more sense if they could give up their space 'inf front' of the store, rather than at the side, where the creepy vans park...will def. keep you posted.

she rides a bike/ and sometimes it could come down to a mom-pop shop not wanting bikes around, the point is that if enough people raise their voices and make themselves present, we will be noticeable and hence let them know bikes shop too.Thanks for stopping by!!

hi gregory/ if amazon is not considered a big-box. Unfortunately, for this specific scenario, this was the only option, asides the internet. ;)